Says ADAM LALLANA
ADAM LALLANA is hoping his Etihad blunder doesn’t end up costing Liverpool Champions League football next season.
The England ace missed an absolute sitter in the closing stages of Sunday’s thrilling 1-1 draw at Manchester City.
Lallana mis-kicked Roberto Firmino’s cross from seven yards out with the City goal at his mercy.
The stalemate left the Reds stuck in fourth, four points ahead of Manchester United who have two games in hand as do Arsenal, who are two points further back.
Jurgen Klopp is desperate to take his side back into the Champions League to boost his chances of signing top stars this summer.
Lallana admits he was so stunned by his own blunder he apologised to his team-mates afterwards.
Gutted
He said: “Argh! My eyes lit up, I just thought to myself, ‘If I get some connection on this, it’s a goal’.
“It just took a bounce in front of me. I might have just taken my eyes off the ball for a second and got excited.
“I’m absolutely gutted. It could have proved to be the winner and it was a big moment in the game.
“I’m so disappointed. Me being me, I went into the dressing room and said sorry to them all. That’s the way I felt. I put my hands up.
“It was a chance I should have hit the target with and probably should have scored.
“I apologised but the lads were fine. It’s one of those things, they happen sometimes.
“I’m only disappointed not to score it because it could have been the difference. I felt if we got the second, we would have put the game to bed.”
The Reds have taken 20 points off the top five sides this season but struggled to beat the ® lesser teams. And Lallana admits it is an issue Klopp’s men need to sort out.
He added: “You would rather the problem be this way around, rather than struggling to get points against the top teams.
“I’m sure it will be easier to correct and get points against the teams who are scrapping against relegation in the future.
“But we know we need to work on that and our record against them needs to be better.”
City have been charged by the FA with failing to control their players after ref Michael Oliver was mobbed for awarding Liverpool a penalty during Sunday’s draw.